Inspired by my courses in early childhood education and psychology, the goal of this research is to better understand what roles homelessness and other socioeconomic statuses play in the psychology of young children and how this affects their behavior in social settings, such as school, family life, and their communities. Financial income, level of education, and occupational status of the parent(s) are the factors that make up socioeconomic status. Familial background and the socioeconomic status of the families play a major role in the psychological growth of children and the way they see themselves. The way children see themselves impacts how they function academically in school, socially with their peers and in their communities, and ultimately predicts how they will function as adults. My research starts with homeless children and then moves up the socioeconomic scale with low socioeconomic status, middle, and high socioeconomic status, by clearly defining each level and then comparing and contrasting them based on the similarities and differences of each level academically and socially. At the conclusion of my research, I will have a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of socioeconomic status on the psychology of young children and what each category needs to function properly.

In recent times, passage of healthcare legislation such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has raised questions about the costs, access, and quality of healthcare within the United States. One group of individuals that has been historically underrepresented in discussions of healthcare legislation is children. In 1997, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) legislation was passed in order to positively influence the health status of children in the United States. Since CHIP’s initial implementation in 1997, it has significantly influenced the costs of children’s healthcare, access to children’s healthcare, and quality of children’s healthcare. This thesis provides a comprehensive look at the CHIP program and how it has influenced healthcare for children in the United States. Also included is a discussion about how the flexibility in CHIP program implementation in different states has caused varied outcomes among children who are eligible for or who are actively enrolled in the CHIP program. This thesis also explores how various changes to the United States healthcare system over time, such as the introduction of the Affordable Care Act and the implementation of various CHIP reauthorization acts have influenced enforcement of CHIP legislation. Finally, after conducting a thorough analysis of CHIP legislation, predictions and recommendations about CHIP’s future influence on the United States healthcare system are discussed and evaluated in terms of the costs, quality, and access to children’s healthcare.

The purpose of this review is to better understand parents’ knowledge of concussion education in youth sports. A concussion is a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by traumatic biomechanical forces. Concussions alone are complex for even physicians to diagnosis; therefore, it is not surprising that parents commonly struggle to recognize symptoms. Results from several studies suggest that there should be required concussion prevention programs for students, parents, and coaches to complete prior to the season. In contrast, other studies explained that, if an athletic trainer chooses to follow the best practices when working alongside athletes to help them recover, sometimes the responsibility to detect signs of concussion then falls on the parent(s)/guardian(s). Other research studies suggest that athletic trainers create pamphlets that serve to educate parents on concussion prevention and recovery. A better understanding of parents’ knowledge on concussion causes, symptoms, treatment, and recovery is critical to work towards lowering the prevalence of concussions in youth sports.

Migraines affect millions of people worldwide. Decades of research have gone into studying migraines, but very little has been found on their causes and treatments. This is because the brain is so complex. Neurologists tend to give prescription after prescription to migraine patients, but patients want something more than a pill; they want a more holistic approach to treat their migraines. This comprehensive review of the literature examines the reported benefits of yoga and cardiovascular exercises, as compared to conventional care, with regard to migraine symptoms, intensities, and frequencies. The purpose of this literature review is to find a correlation between exercise and the potential improvement of patients’ migraines.

Over the last couple of years, research has shown that high school students are experiencing and reporting increased amounts of stress. At the top of the list of stressors is school, course work, and anxiety over college. This is a problem perpetuated in many high schools by extreme rigidness to standards and using methods that teach directly to tests rather than the holistic student. Teachers are asserting the importance of content and correct answers, making students concerned with grade point averages and acceptance letters. Students are graduating with impressive resumes but no truth-seeking or problem-solving skills. The answer to these issues lies in increasing critical thinking pedagogy throughout the high school curriculum. Critical thinking emphasizes the ability to judge one’s own and another’s underlying thoughts, assumptions, and blocks, which all work to prepare students for college and the work force more than simple memorization and regurgitation of facts. In this paper, I argue that schools need to increase the amount of critical thinking skills they are teaching their students; furthermore, I believe the high school English classroom provides an opportunity to do just that. By examining the Paul and Elder approach to critical thinking and walking through a sample case study using a novel in the classroom, I will prove that critical thinking skills can not only be taught in tandem with content, but that when students master these skills, they actually respond better to and gain more out of their learning experiences.

Since 1993, many of South Carolina’s rural school districts have been involved in a judicial process aimed at securing more funds and better opportunities for the students that they serve. Over the last twenty-five years, these school districts, which filed suit under the name Abbeville County School District, et al. v. State of South Carolina, et al., have been involved in a bureaucratic process that has led to few changes. These rural school districts are primarily located along the Interstate 95 corridor in what has colloquially become known as the “Corridor of Shame.” The term “shame” is arguably two-fold, as politicians and legislators are ashamed of the conditions and test scores that are associated with many of these school districts. However, the school districts are ashamed that their elected officials will not initiate or require action that will lead to the improvements for which they continue to fight. This thesis outlines twenty-five years of courtroom rulings, dialogue, and discussion while also providing a plan for improvements that the South Carolina House of Representatives claims is unfathomable. With appropriate legislative action, the school districts along the Corridor of Shame can begin to provide their students with the quality of education and the opportunities that they deserve and have been trying to secure since long before the case’s start in 1993.